De Niro vs. Stallone in the Grudge Match trailer

September 13, 2013 - By Andrew Shuster

The two most iconic boxing characters to have ever graced the silver screen are arguably Jake La Motta and Rocky Balboa. Grudge Match isn’t a Raging Bull/Rocky crossover, but it’s probably the closest we’re going to get to one. That is, if Raging Bull and Rocky were re-imagined as comedies. The casting of Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone as aging boxing rivals is both inspired and a clever wink at the audience. Should be fun watching them duke it out.

Here’s the first trailer courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures:

This is De Niro and Stallone’s second onscreen collaboration, the first being 1997’s Cop Land. Peter Segal (The Longest Yard, Get Smart) directs from a script by Tim Kelleher, Rodney Rothman and Doug Ellin. The rest of the cast includes Kevin Hart, Kim Basinger, Jon Bernthal, LL Cool J, and Alan Arkin.

De Niro in one corner, Stallone in the other. Who’s taking home the belt? Make your bets when Grudge Match is released on December 25th.